Pasture Sprayer

Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:43 am

I have a very old spraying rig that I use to spray hay fields and pasture. It has a 55 plastic drum and is run by a pto roller pump on my Ford 3000. The spray booms are 8' long with a 4' center section of galvanized pipe with 11 spray nozzles. Even though I am using a plastic tank. I am still getting a lot of rust ,which clogs the strainers on the tips. I suspect that the galvanized pipe has rusted inside, causing the problem.

The question is, how can I flush and seal or treat the inside of the pipe to prevent the rust? The other alternative is to run plastic tubing from the tank and bypass the steel pipe. That is doable and should solve the problem. But even using my old tips and fittings from the steel, the cost of 11 tees, adapters, fittings, clamps, etc, is a pretty good expense.

Any thoughts?

Ron

Re: Pasture Sprayer

Fri Mar 23, 2012 12:24 pm

Ron:

A brass rifle brush on a rope should suffice to clean the pipe. There are a number of products that can be used to prevent the rust, but the stuff you are spraying will determine what you can use. Red-Kote or POR-15 would be good choices as they dry and create an impermeable surface, but it may be difficult since the pipe, I assume sked 40 is about 1/2" to 3/4" ID

Course, you could simply put the pipe/tees etc., in the electrolysis tank and clean it prior to each season. That would negate any real need for a sealant on the inside of the pipe.,

Just ruminating in the caverns of the cranium

Re: Pasture Sprayer

Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:17 pm

Ron, Could you replace the 4' piece of pipe and reuse the same t's (it might involve some drilling and tapping)? I'm somewhat dubious that you could clean out the pipe well enough to coat the inside and not have problems again in a few years.

Bob

Re: Pasture Sprayer

Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:31 pm

Use the current pipe as a support and then use lawn sprinkler tubing and tees (or PEX tubing)These are much less costly than PVC, but not as rigid so they need support.

Re: Pasture Sprayer

Fri Mar 23, 2012 4:13 pm

Rudi, my present pipe is made of carbon steel (at least a magnet will stick) with 1/4" NPT female spuds welded to it. The spray assembly (spray tip, strainer and nut) screws into the spud. The outside of the pipe, which looks to be plated, has very little rust. I am thinking that the pipe assy was fabricated and welded from mild steel and then cad or zinc plated after welding. But, I don't know this.

outdoors4evr wrote:Use the current pipe as a support and then use lawn sprinkler tubing and tees (or PEX tubing)These are much less costly than PVC, but not as rigid so they need support.

This was exactly first thought to improve it. I am thinking about a reinforced flexible hose as PEX does not hold up well when exposed to sun and daylight. What I need is a plastic tee with two barbs and one female 1/4" NPT. So far, all I have seen is a tee with three barbs and an "L" with male threads and a barb. I am running 40# pressure.

Another option is to use copper and solder the joints. I have a piece of 1" copper, but I would have to buy all of the Tees, fittings, etc. I would still attach the copper to the present pipe for support, but the solder joints may not hold up.

The other option is to do nothing but what I have been doing. Remove 11 spray tips and plugs, clean spray tips and strainer in a bucket ofwater, flush pipe with water and air, reinstall 11 spray tips and plugs, mix GL-4 and spray fields. Repeat the next time that I spray.

Re: Pasture Sprayer

Fri Mar 23, 2012 5:02 pm

Ron:

In that case run the rifle brush through the pipe and rinse. Probably be easier that way. Hopefully whatever buildup will be fine enough to be cleared through the nozzles. Probably easier than taking it apart daily.

Re: Pasture Sprayer

Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:41 pm

Big Hoss, There is pool chemical you can just add to the circulation system.

Re: Pasture Sprayer

Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:51 am

Hi Ron

When I got my atv sprayer I was told to use nutra-sol after spraying to clean the tank of scale and chemical residue. It also says it removes rust scale.